Vote: CSM Spring Athletes of the Week, April 28-May 3, 2025

The number of impressive performances from Central Illinois high school spring athletes continues to grow at a rapid pace with explosive games happening nearly every night. 

Many of this week’s CSM Spring Athletes of the Week nominees were able to post commendable outings on multiple occasions. This week’s group of nominees feature big two-way baseball threats, a pair of softball sluggers, skilled goal scorers in soccer and lacrosse, plus standouts from track and field and tennis.

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Check out all of our nominees with information on their big performances below, vote for who you think should win and spread the word to vote before polls close at 11:59 PM on Thursday!

Boys Athlete of the Week nominees

Carter Prina, Washington baseball

Prina hit and pitched the Panthers to a pair of key Mid-Illini victories over East Peoria, dealing a complete game shutout with 10 strikeouts and five hits allowed in a 1-0 win over the Raiders on April 28. He drove in the only run of that game and added another RBI in a 4-1 over EP on May 1. To cap off the week, he hit a home run and drove in two in Washington’s 13-0 victory over Springfield on May 2. 

Alex Austin, Normal West boys track and field

Austin’s performance helped Normal West win the Bloomington/Normal Intercity track title on April 29 and he picked up several wins during the week in multiple events. At Intercity, the Wildcats’ senior won the long jump with a season-best mark of 21 feet, 7.25 inches, the triple jump in 44 feet, 7.5 inches and helped Normal West’s 4x200 and 4x400 relays to first and second place finishes, respectively. He won the triple jump and long jump at the Pekin Dragon Invite on May 2, leading Normal West to winning that meet as well. 

Weston Lange/Jack Hessing, Metamora boys tennis

The doubles tandem of Lange and Hessing continued to roll for the Redbirds, winning the No. 2 doubles bracket at the Lincoln Way-East Invite on May 3. Earlier in the week, they aided Metamora, who is 18-0 in dual matches entering Tuesday, in wins over East Peoria and Morris. 

Gavin Swartz, Normal Community baseball

Normal Community’s do-it-all extraordinaire packed a punch at the plate and on the rubber, helping the Ironmen win five games. Swartz threw a complete game shutout with 12 strikeouts and four hits allowed in a 3-0 win over Moline on May 3. At the plate, he went a combined 7-for-15 with three RBIs and a homer, hitting the dinger in the second game of the doubleheader against Moline and collecting multi-hit games in Big 12 wins over Richwoods and Urbana. 

Cole Rinkenberger, Morton boys track and field

Morton won the Metamora Mach Speed and Flight Night on May 2 and Rinkenberger was the biggest winner of them all, winning four events at the meet and six total throughout the week. At Metamora, The Potters’ senior won the 100 (10.72), 200 (22.11) and 400 (50.13) with impressive times while also leading Morton’s 4x100 relay to a win in 43.46. At a conference tri-meet against Dunlap and Washington on April 29, Rinkenberger won the 100 and was part of the winning 4x100 team again.

Vote here!

CSM Boys Athlete of the Week poll

• Carter Prina, Washington baseball
• Alex Austin, Normal West girls track and field
• Weston Lange/Jack Hessing, Metamora boys tennis
• Gavin Swartz, Normal Community baseball

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Girls Athlete of the Week nominees

Paige Fesler, Tri-Valley softball

Fesler’s powerful bat led Tri-Valley to four thrilling wins, including one that secured the Heart of Illinois title, last week. She drilled a walk-off solo home run to beat former conference leader Dee-Mack 9-8 in extra innings on May 2, finishing the game with two homers and three RBIs. She went deep twice with three RBIs again in a 6-4 win against Eureka on May 29, one day after she went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and RBIs in a 15-13 win over Lexington/Ridgeview. She tacked on another homer to her total, driving in two in another HOIC win over Heyworth on April 30. 

Millie Kaufman, Eureka girls track and field

Kaufman put together another week of multiple top finishes, leading the Hornets to winning team titles at the Elmwood Trojan Invite and the Roger Washburn Classic. She won the 100 and 200 meters at both events, setting a new personal record of 12.83 seconds in the 100 at Elmwood on April 28. She took the top spot in the 400 at the Roger Washburn Invite in 1:00.01, along with helping the Hornets’ 4x100 and 4x200 finish atop the podium at Elmwood. 

Abby Cooley, Richwoods girls soccer

Cooley and the Knights had a busy week and the senior kicked it off by pouring in more than a handful of goals. She netted a hat trick in a 9-0 win over crosstown foe Manual on April 29 and scored three more times in a 7-0 win against Urbana on May 1. 

Gabby Drake, Dunlap softball

Few players could have more perfect weeks than Drake, who went 6-for-8 with three home runs at the plate in a pair of Dunlap wins. The Eagles catcher began her week with two hits in a 7-0 win over Washington, turning up her power stroke with a home run, two RBIs and single in a 2-0 win over Metamora on April 29 and a 4-for-4 performance, including two homers and four RBIs in a 6-1 win against Pekin on May 2. 

Alayna Nourie, Bloomington/Normal girls lacrosse

Nourie and Bloomington/Normal only played one game last week but the Purple Ironcats’ senior made it count, scoring six goals, plus one assist, to help her team defeat Central Illinois foe Dunlap 13-6 on April 28. 

Vote here!

CSM Girls Athlete of the Week nominees

• Paige Fesler, Tri-Valley softball
• Millie Kaufman, Eureka girls track and field
• Abby Cooley, Richwoods girls soccer
• Gabby Drake, Dunlap softball

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